British No. 2 Cameron Norrie added another comfortable win to his résumé at the National Bank Open in Montreal, earning a third‑round clash with Alex De Minaur, the husband of recent surprise Katie Boulter. After snapping a six‑match losing streak with a run to the Los Cabos semi‑finals, Norrie opened his Canadian campaign with a straight‑sets victory over Argentina's Camilo Ugo Carabelli and then continued his momentum against Peru's Ignacio Buse.
Ranked four spots behind the world No. 33 Peruvian, Norrie dispatched Buse 6‑3 6‑3 in just 89 minutes.
The 30‑year‑old displayed his experience by saving three of the four break points he faced while converting four of his eleven opportunities on serve. His composure and tactical awareness were evident throughout, as he mixed deep, defensive strokes with aggressive forward play, forcing Buse onto the back foot. Analyst Annabel Croft, speaking on Sky Sports Tennis, praised Norrie's all‑court game: "He was simply too seasoned, too much variety for his opponent. He applied pressure at the crucial moments and defended with excellent depth.
We also saw him stepping forward, asking a lot of questions, and when his second‑set serve dipped he quickly found his rhythm again." In a separate match, 19‑year‑old Brazilian João Fonseca made a statement in his first tour‑level appearance since Wimbledon, overcoming former finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas 7‑6 (7‑3) 7‑5. Fonseca reflected on his growth, noting, "Last year I would have lost my mind in a situation like this. I'm a more mature João now. After a couple of weeks without competition I knew I'd be a little tense serving for the match, but I felt good, hit solid returns and put the pressure on him.
The break at 5‑5 was vital." He added that playing against top‑ranked players such as Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton and Novak Djokovic over the past two years has sharpened his mental resilience, which he now considers one of his greatest weapons. The tournament took another dramatic turn when No. 1 seed and Wimbledon finalist Alexander Zverev was eliminated by Tallon Griekspoor 6‑7 (3‑7) 6‑2 6‑4, just hours after No. 2 seed Félix Auger‑Aliassime withdrew.
Griekspoor, who said he had been working "harder and harder" in recent weeks, described the win as a matter of timing, calling the victory "special, especially against a player like Sascha". Dutch compatriot Botic van de Zandschulp also produced a stunning upset, beating Daniil Medvedev 6‑3 7‑6 (7‑5) in the Russian's first ATP Tour match since his third‑round exit at Wimbledon. Van de Zandschulp admitted he had never beaten Medvedev before, but forced himself out of his comfort zone and executed a game plan that paid off. British No.
5 Jacob Fearnley, who earned his place in the main draw through qualifying, saw his run end in the second round after a 6‑3 3‑6 6‑3 loss to world No. 17 Jakub Mensik. Home favourite Ben Shelton, the defending champion, looked strong after a 6‑3 7‑5 win over Jenson Brooksby.
Shelton took the first set comfortably, but Brooksby rallied to lead 4‑1 in the second. Shelton raised his level, broke twice and closed the set 7‑5, avoiding a deciding set. He now prepares to meet 31st seed Zizou Bergs of Belgium in the round of 32.
Casper Ruud, sporting a fresh haircut, dominated Juan Manuel Cerúnolo 6‑1 6‑2, signalling his intent to make a deep run. In a surprising result, Argentine youngster Thiago Agustín Tirante defeated Taylor Fritz 7‑5 6‑3. Fritz, who had lifted his most recent title at the ATP 500 event in Washington four days earlier, appeared physically taxed, allowing Tirante to seize the momentum.
Across the border in Toronto, American star Coco Gauff recorded her first win since Wimbledon, beating Kayla Day 6‑2 7‑5. Gauff joked after the match, "I saw the new Spider‑Man film. I was going to make a big spoiler joke but I won’t," showing her typical blend of confidence and humor. Kazakh champion Elena Rybakina opened her campaign with a hard‑fought 6‑3 5‑7 6‑4 victory over Daria Kasatkina, despite a chaotic serving display that included 58 unforced errors and 16 double faults alongside 58 winners and 15 aces.
Rybakina will next face Ann Li, who advanced by defeating Canada's Kayla Cross 7‑6 (7‑2) 6‑3. The Montreal event continues to deliver unexpected twists, with several top seeds exiting early and lower‑ranked players capitalising on the opportunity. Fans can follow live action on Sky Sports, NOW, or the Sky Sports app, which offers over 50 percent more live sport this year at no extra cost.